I’ve recently become aware of an issue surrounding the release of Grand Theft Auto 4. On the site “Gamerankings.com” it has now become number 1 ranked game of all time, taking the place of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. This has spawned debates with plenty of anger on both sides, and I hope to bring some order to the mayhem…
Looking at Ocarina for a moment, this brings up a whole other side debate. Was Ocarina deserving of that number 1 spot in the first place? Well that depends on how you look at it. Ultimately, it’s just another Zelda game with the same old Zelda story and gameplay. However, what sets it apart is what it did, and when it did it. It was unheard of in 1998 to have such a game to run around in freely with an open world feel to it. It also perfected the 3D lock on camera and set the bar for the time. I could go on listing achievements, but the basic point is that it was a technical marvel, and that’s why it held that number 1 slot for nearly a decade.
Using the same logic, provided you agree with it, is GTA4 not doing the exact same thing? Setting aside the storyline, the theme, and pretty well everything that makes a GTA game a GTA game, it is also undeniably a technical marvel for the time. The massive sandbox world is unparalleled, and consists of countless things to do. The polish and design of the city is extremely impressive. Considering the scope of the world, one would think that it wouldn’t be possible to make a city so large look so good. We’ve seen that before in games like Spiderman 2 or even previous installments in the GTA series, but they’ve pulled it off here and credit is deserved for that. To top it off, they brought this sandbox gameplay online to share with friends in any number of ways. When looking at what this game offers, the word that comes to mind is “overwhelming”.
On this thought process alone, GTA4 beats out Ocarina hands down. It’s providing the same effect on the gaming industry, only a decade later. It’s clear that this is how the reviewers see it, but what’s spawning the debates is what GTA is. It being the kind of game that it is, anyone outside of its own fan base will hate it. They won’t appreciate the criminal theme, or the sandbox gameplay. They will even go as far as to say that it’s a step in the wrong direction for the gaming industry, because it’s not bringing anything original to the table and is only praying on the teenage desire to “fuck things up”. For those people, Grand Theft Auto bumping down Ocarina of Time, a long renowned masterpiece of what gaming truly is, is a travesty and is unacceptable.
Those who like GTA or simply believe that reviews should be based on specs above all else will think it is deserving of the number 1 spot. Those who think otherwise, will not. Or maybe you think neither deserves the spot, which brings me to my final thought…
I believe the answer is to simply not compare games in this fashion and pin no weight on the “top 10” that Gamerankings has set up. It’s only a mathematical equation after all, and any one of us knows that judging games is about so much more then that. So regardless of what it is you think of the games individually or what your stance is on the gaming industry as a whole, there is simply no point putting them head to head. But if you must, remember this. Only time will tell if Grand Theft Auto 4 will be talked about a decade from now. Until then, we can only wait and see…
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Ironically they are both in my house. I fully plan on playing Ocarina to see what all the hype is about.
Eh, I don't care either way. I didn't like Ocarina of Time, found it blah. And I found the previous GTA boring and lame and the new one is the same thing but more pretty and new stories.
I don't really care if a game allows me to enter any building I want in a big city...I'd rather play a game.
Another thing is that its hard to judge between the 2 games because they are so different.
GTA4 is the same GTA except with new engine.
The GTA franchise will be remembered for a long long time, but GTA4 by itself will not.
(I have played OOT, but not GTA4, its in the mail)
I am now hungry
Both are gay.
Although the gameplay of gta4 is much of the same, one thing that's really different is that the main character is very multifaceted (as opposed to the one dimensional sorta of leads in the other GTA games) and they added GPS, which has made driving much more enjoyable.
Also, I'll have a ribeye steak. rare (I like my cow still bleeding and mooing). hit me up with tall glass if hef.
Will they be talking about GTA 4 in 10 years? Maybe not, but probably because they'll be talking about GTA 7 or 8
LoL.
Can't even respect a game for what it is? Cause it is a GAME.
Zelda has been the same old same old since OoT released. I mean, shit, it's only TWO years after Twilight Princess and NO ONE is talking about it already. That says a lot in and of itself.
wow
wow
is that even a fair comparison?
a more equal match up is something like
Ribeye Steak Medium Rare with a Loaded Bake Potato & A Tall glass of Beer VS Pussy (and i mean just one pussy, for one time. like, fuck some babe, or have the steak. thats a tough one man)
That we even care about Ocarina being knocked down is a testament to its quality. It is a game that has lived in gamers' memories for over a decade and will continue to live purely due to the fact that its still a brilliant game.
That is a poor choice of words imo. How is it that anyone outside its fanbase will hate it is in any way accurate? The same exact thing could apply to almost ANY Zelda game. The storyline in this GTA rivals that of any Hollywood script, and sets the bar for story, not just for a 'sandbox' game, but for games in general. It's impressive that OoT held the top spot for 10 years in an industry that makes technical leaps almost yearly if not quicker. If anything, GTA would have more "mass appeal" than any Zelda game. So I think that point is moot.
Being what it is though, I'm enjoying it a great deal. OoT is still a great game...But the only folks getting upset about this are the fanboys of Zelda and the big N.
That is a poor choice of words imo. How is it that anyone outside its fanbase will hate it is in any way accurate? The same exact thing could apply to almost ANY Zelda game. The storyline in this GTA rivals that of any Hollywood script, and sets the bar for story, not just for a 'sandbox' game, but for games in general. It's impressive that OoT held the top spot for 10 years in an industry that makes technical leaps almost yearly if not quicker. If anything, GTA would have more "mass appeal" than any Zelda game. So I think that point is moot.
Being what it is though, I'm enjoying it a great deal. OoT is still a great game...But the only folks getting upset about this are the fanboys of Zelda and the big N.
What's this your dreaming up?
Such big imagination for such a little pup.
Shake a leg now Wishbone, let's wag another tail.
Sniffing out adventure with Wishbone on the trail.
Come on Wishbone, what's the story wishbone?
Come on Wishbone, what's the story wishbone?
And yes, that was from memory.
My two cents: the games are incomparable. No other media seems so hell-bent on oneupmanship. Nobody debates "is Citizen Kane better than The Shawshank Redemption" or "is Lord of the Rings better than War of the Worlds?". They are merely appreciated as classics.
LoZ:OoT has earned its place in the annals of videogame history as a gaming watermark. It is too early to say if GTAIV has earned the same, or if the pioneering gameplay of the original, the technical leap of GTAIII, the character of Vice City or the expansive play area of San Andreas overshadow their descendent.